# BBC Micro 10 Hacker News commenters recommended BBC Micro and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** People recommend it as a 1980s home computer with BASIC built in, a hacker favorite that is a good way to start programming, and a virtual version works today. ## Why people recommend it - Common in schools, nostalgic childhood memories (3 comments): "every school had at least one BBC Micro" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49038163)) "the BBC Micro stole my heart" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46577002)) "the same opportunities that I had, instead of a school where the playground has lots of very carefully manufactured play equipment" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47672345)) - Built-in BASIC, good for learning (2 comments): "I'd recommend you use a (virtual) BBC Micro to start you off with." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46101065)) "which simply came with BASIC builtin, no license required" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48257996)) - Fun to tinker and program (2 comments): "It was a hackers dream of a computer, really." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48145424)) "I could make that thing sing in an hour." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47362836)) - Sophisticated and historically important for its era (2 comments): "That CPU was a foundation of the home computer and console revolution: BBC, Commodore, Atari" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45982529)) "astonishingly sophisticated for an 8 bit home computer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47918621)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Commodore 64](https://hackerapproved.com/p/commodore-64.md): 121 recommend - [Commodore Amiga](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amiga.md): 60 recommend - [ZX Spectrum](https://hackerapproved.com/p/zx-spectrum.md): 31 recommend - [TI-99/4A](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ti-99-4a.md): 26 recommend - [Commodore Amiga 500](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amiga-500.md): 20 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "BBC Micro", https://hackerapproved.com/p/bbc-micro/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).